Top Performances in 5A’s First Round
The Class 5A state tournament began with a bang in Colorado on Tuesday night, and with the opening round of the playoffs came myriad excellent performances as teams squared off across the state. There weren’t many upsets, but there were…
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Continue ReadingThe Class 5A state tournament began with a bang in Colorado on Tuesday night, and with the opening round of the playoffs came myriad excellent performances as teams squared off across the state. There weren’t many upsets, but there were some surprises. And, of course, many of the regular season’s stars continued to shine.
Here are a few of the highlights from the first round of the 5A postseason.
Tosjanae Bonds pours in 31 for FNE victory
Bonds has long been one of the top stat-stuffers in the state of Colorado but the unsigned 5-foot-5 senior has truly been something else this season. Bonds averaged 25.1 points, 8 rebounds, 9.4 steals, 1.5 assists and a block per game throughout the regular season.
Pacing the Warriors to narrow 48-45 win over Monarch, and while Monarch senior Abigail Russo scored 20 points of her own, Bonds went off for 31 including this 3-pointer at the buzzer to end the third quarter…
End of the 3rd
Montbello 34
Monarch 26Tosjanae Bonds ends the 3rd qtr with a 3pt buzzer beater, to continue her great offensive effort. #copreps pic.twitter.com/VQuFibtUaD
— Prep Girls Hoops Colorado (@PGHColorado) February 26, 2020
Jessica Bollwahn goes nuts for Columbine
Jessica BollwahnNearly accounting for exactly Columbine’s margin of victory in a 71-42 win over Rocky Mountain on Tuesday night, the Rebels’ 5-foot-10 small forward had herself a night. Bollwahn, a sophomore, scored a career-high 28 points and will look to stay hot when the No. 23 Rebels travel to face No. 10 Fountain-Fort Carson on Friday.
During the regular season, Bollwahn averaged 14.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 1.4 assists and 2.1 steals while shooting 34 percent (21 for 62) from 3-point range.
Lakewood drains a dozen 3-pointers against Rock Canyon
In a 70-42 win over Rock Canyon on Tuesday night, the Lakewood Tigers made just three field goals in the first quarter. But after catching fire in the second, the Tigers finished the game was 12 made 3-pointers. Six different players hit at least one, with senior guard Nadia Trevizo-Medina leading the way with four.
Trevizo-Medina scored a game-high 22 points.
Mountain Vista goes bananas against Prairie View
Mackenzie GambleThe way the Mountain Vista players were all scoring on Tuesday night, it’s a wonder some sort of fight didn’t break out over the basketball. In an 80-45 win over Prairie View, four Mountain Vista players scored in double figures and a total of nine had at least one point.
Senior point guard Mackenzie Gamble led the team with 19 points on an 8-for-14 shooting night, and also had six assists and seven steals. Senior forward Amy Holland had 15 points and seven rebounds, junior forward Amiya Robinson had 15 points and junior Shantell Hafner scored 11.
Chaparral’s Bang sisters combine for 26 in win over Grand Junction
Chaparral sophomores Avery Bang and Payton Bang combined for 26 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and four steals on Tuesday night. That effort in the post from the Wolverines’ 6-foot-1 power forward tandem, combined with 16 points from senior point guard Jessica Formento, led Chaparral to a 58-27 victory. The Bang sisters had quite the assignment on defense, as well, tasked with containing Grand Junction’s 6-foot-2 forward Faith Buckley, who also played well.
You might call this a “Bang-Bang” play. Chap sophomore Payton Bang with the nice pass inside to twin sister Avery Bang for a nice bucket. These two are gonna be trouble for the next couple years. #copreps @ChapGirlsBBall pic.twitter.com/SX9IxXccRy
— Prep Girls Hoops Colorado (@PGHColorado) February 26, 2020
The future is bright in the Wizarding World of Windsor
Hosting an emergent Westminster squad in the first round on Tuesday night, the Windsor Wizards got yet another glimpse of just how good they could become over the next couple years.
In an 86-59 victory, the Wizards received a team-high 26 points from sophomore Mykaela Moore, who was 10 for 16 from the field, and another 16 points from junior Kylie Sanger. Sophomore Jolie Jiricek had eight rebounds, which was second only to senior Jackie Jensen’s 10.
Waters, Hendricks pace Brighton to first playoff win since 2014
Tori HendricksBrighton went on a 21-2 run in the fourth quarter and ended up claiming the program’s first postseason victory since 2014. The current coaching staff was obviously thrilled with the breakthrough win, as well as what it got from a pair of players who don’t normally lead the team in scoring.
Bulldogs senior Mai Lei Waters (7.6 ppg) paced the Bulldogs with 19 points, going 4 for 6 from 3-point range and 7 for 8 at the free-throw line. Junior Tori Hendricks (7.1 ppg) scored 18 points, going 5 for 8 from the field and 6 for 7 at the charity stripe.
Olivia Waufle lights it up for Horizon against Eaglecrest
Olivia WaufleDoing her best to outduel Eaglecrest’s Jadyn Ross, who scored 18 points, Horizon senior Olivia Waufle put up a 23-point scoring performance and led the Hawks to a tight 60-54 victory despite the team trailing by five points in the fourth quarter. Waufle also finished with seven rebounds, three assists and a pair of steals.
A-West’s Madison Manson breaks out up in Loveland
Missing injured Kajsa Borrman, Arvada West’s 5-foot-11 junior forward was just too much for Loveland to handle on Tuesday night. Manson scored a career-high 19 points to lead the Wildcats to a first-round win. Manson’s previous career scoring mark was 15 points, and she averaged 7.1 during the regular season.
Marshall and Rohr lead Liberty past Greeley West
Lydia MarshallDespite the best effort of Greeley West’s Juanita Aragon, who scored a game-high 16 points, the Liberty Lancers got the best of the Spartans in the first round. The victory was in large part thanks to a predictable double-digit scoring night from reliable senior Lydia Marshall, who finished with 13 points. The Lancers also got 10 points from freshman Jacy Rohr, who has now scored double figures in seven games this season.
Regular season to postseason, Grace Talbot keeps scoring
It might have taken her a little while to get going but Talbot, a sophomore who has remained among the state’s leading scorers throughout 2019-20, eventually found her rhythm against Legacy on Tuesday. Talbot got hot and had 11 points in the third quarter and finished with 19 to help push the Chargers into the second round.
Chatfield junior Izzy DiNapoli finished with five points and 10 rebounds.
Isabelle Munson
Fairview’s Munson keeps the Knights on point
Fairview senior Isabelle Munson has been a top-three scorer in Colorado all season. On Tuesday, she had another good scoring night and did a lot more than that in a two-point victory over Castle View, finishing with 19 points, seven rebounds, five assists and three steals.